Tooth and gum exerciser



July 15, 1941. J, H, MORRIS 2,249,721

TOOTH AND GUM EXERCISER Filed May 4, 1939 Patented July 15, 1941 iJl'lED STTE s m -tenet This invention relates to tooth and gum exercisers of that general type described in my patent application of the same title, filed October 1, 1938; Serial No. 222,470.

--An object of the present invention is to provide a longitudinal head on the inside of the top and the bottom of the walls of the exerciser where the walls come into contact with the gums, thus providing for a gentle and complete massaging of the gums, also, at the same time, providing a better vacuum around the gums and teeth to cause the blood in the sums to become more active in circulation, this bead or beading in each wall forming a dam which causes activation of the dentifrice or toothpaste used, while massaging the gums.

. A further object isto provide a cone, either plain or burred, on either the side, end, or t p of the handle of the exerciser, for use in the interproximal. spaces, the burring on the side wall of the cone automatically stimulating the interproximal tissues as the tip of the cone is inserted into the interproximal spaces.

A further object of the present invention is to provide cones, ribs or other projectors on the inside walls of the exerciser arranged either vertically or horizontally in rows or otherwise, so that when the exerciseris placed in the mouth, these projections will enter into the interproximal spaces and clean and massage the teeth and gums.

A further object is to provide a tooth and gum exerciser which is formed in the shape of one-half the mouth since a person does not chew on, both s des of the mouth at the same time, and'consequently prior devices formed to shape the whole mouth are not practical, the exerciser-of this half-mouth type being adapted to develop the face and jaw muscles more efficiently than an exerciser shaped to fit the whole mouth because no person chews on the entire mouth at one time.

A further object is to provide an exerciser which may be used by a person having no teeth or that uses dentures, the device having two beads running alOng the inner wall, and on the outer wall there being two beads which merge into three arcuate heads at each end, the centei of the exerciser being thicker than the ends, thus conforming to the natural shape of the mouth after the teeth have been removed, and exercising and massaging the gums to prevent atrophy of the gums and cause them to retain their natural shape.

With the. above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and-combinations of parts hereinafteriully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a tooth and gum exerciser constructed in accordance with the inven'tion. 1 1 I Figure 2 is a side elevation of the exerciser shown in Figure 1 looking toward the inner wall thereof.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the longitudinal beading on the top and bottom of the walls together with the vertical heading on the inner 20 faces of the walls.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional viewtaken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 isa detail cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figurev 6 is a plan view of the modified form of exerciser for use by persons whose teeth have been extracted.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the exerciser shown in Figure 6 looking toward the inner wall thereof.

Figure 8 issa cross sectional View taken on the line 8.-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 9--9 of Figure. 6. V

1 Figure 10 is; a fragmentary plan view showing a handle, equipped with a burred cone;

Referring now to thedrawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the tooth and gum exerciser isshown to comprise a body ll! of substan tially, H-shaped cross section as shown inFigure Sand arcuate longitudinal contour, as shown in Figural, to fit one-half of the, mouth from the front to .the rear and embrace both the upa per andlower. teeth and gums on that side of the mouth. A handle I I is formed integral with to contact with the gums and provide dams which produce a vacuum around the gums and teeth as the user chews on the body to stimulate blood circulation, massage the gums and cause activation of the dentifrice.

The inner surfaces of the inner walls are proided with respective vertical projections l8 and I9 forming. beads of any desired contour, these projections entering into the interproximal spaces and removing foreign matter while massaging the teeth and gums.

Suction cups 20 are formed in the transverse bridging wall 2| of the body to coact with the beads and projections in exercising and massaging the gums as well as causing activation of the dentifrice.

The inner wall l2 of the body is preferably formed ukulele shape while the outer wall l3 is preferably formed violin shape to fit the contour of the mouth. Thus the device will fit the,

mouths of all persons regardless of the individual characteristics of the mouth.

By referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that a cone projection 22 extends perpendicular to one flat face of the handle II and is provided with a spiral burr 23. The projection is used in the interproximal spaces, the burr automatically stimulating the tissues as the tip of the cone is inserted into the spaces.

By referring to Figures 1 and 4, it will be seen that an enlarged projection 24 is formed on the inner wall 12 near the handle, the projection being thicker at its juncture with the transverse bridging wall 2| of the body than at its juncture with the longitudinal bead l4 thereof. Also, a similarly shaped projection 25, terminating short of the bead I5, is disposed on the inner surface of the outer wall l3 of the body. These projections coact with the beads 14 and I5 to massage the gums and promote circulation of the blood at points where the vertical projections 18 and I9 may not have reached.

Figures 6 to 9 inclusive illustrated a modified form of the device for use by persons whose teeth have been extracted.

The body 26 of the device is substantially H- shape in cross section, as best shown in Figures 8 and 9, and is arcuate in longitudinal contour, as best shown in Figure 6. The body thus fits onehalf of the mouth and embraces both the lower and upper gums on that side of the mouth. At one end the body is provided with an integral handle 21. Both the handleand body are formed of rubber or other resilient material.

In this form of the invention the bridging transverse wall 28 of the device is generally thicker than in the form of the device previously described to compensate for the increased distance between the gums due to the removal of the teeth. As best shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the center of the bridging wall is thicker than the ends of the bridging wall to conform to the natural shape of the mouth after the teeth have been removed.

The inner wall 29 of the body 26 is provided with two longitudinal beads 30. The outer wall 3|v is provided with two longitudinal beads 32 which merge into three longitudinal beads 33, best shown in Figure 7, at the ends. These beads massage the gums. In use the shape of the exerciser causes the gums to retain their natural shape to prevent atrophy and, at the same time, exercises the jaws and massages the gums to increase blood circulation therein.

In Figure 10, a modified form of handle 34 is shown having a conical projection 35 on the tip end thereof extending in the axis of the handle.

The projection is provided with a spiral burr 36. This projection is similar to the projection 22 heretofore described and is used for the same purpose but is located at a different point on the handle.

From the above description it is though that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A gum massaging and dentifrice applying device comprising a body of H-shaped cross section formed of resilient rubber having teeth and gum receiving grooves on the top and bottom sides thereof to receive a portion of the teeth and gums from the front of the mouth on one side of the mouth to the rear of the mouth, the body being wide at one end to receive the large teeth at the rear of the mouth and being narrow at the opposite end and curved at said opposite end to receive the smaller teeth and gums at the front of the mouth, the bottom walls of the grooves being provided with circular concave suction cups of gradually decreasing diameter from the wide rear end of the body to the narrow front end of the body, the side walls of the grooves being substantially perpendicular to the bottom walls of the grooves, longitudinal ribs formed integral with the walls of the grooves along the entire upper and lower edges of the walls disposed perpendicular to the walls of the grooves and projecting from the inner faces of the walls to overlie the bottom Walls of the grooves, said ribs being adapted to contact with the gums and provide dams for providing a better vacuum around the gums and teeth to coact with the suction cups in jetting dentifrice into the orifices of the teeth and gums. While simultaneously mildly rubbing the gums and urging thegums toward the teeth when the teeth bite down upon the bottom walls of the grooves, and avhandle projecting from the smaller end of the body substantially in alignment with the body and disposed exteriorly of the outer walls of the grooves.

2. A gum massaging and dentifrice device comprising, a body of H-shape in cross section formed of resilient rubber having gum receiving grooves on the top and bottom sides thereof to receive a portion'of the gums fromthe front of the mouth on one side of the mouth to the rear of the mouth, the body being wide at one end to receive the gums at the rear of the mouth and being narrow at the opposite end to receive the gums at the front of the mouth, the bridging portion of the H-shape body being relatively thick and gradually increasing in thickness from the ends towards its center to conform to the distance between the gums due to removal of the teeth, the side walls of the grooves being substantially perpendicular to the bottom walls of the grooves, longitudinal ribs formed integral with the walls of the grooves along the entire upper and lower edges of the walls to overlie the bottom walls of the grooves, said ribs being adapted to contact with the gums and provide dams for providing a better vacuum around the gums for jetting dentifrice into the orifices of the gums While simultaneously lightly rubbing the gums when the user bites down upon the bottom walls of the grooves, and a handle projecting from the smaller end of the body substantially in alignment with the body and exposed exteriorly of the outer walls of the grooves.

JOHN H. "MORRIS. 

